Sleaford’s transgender councillor hits out at President Trump’s ruling against trans people in the US military

Andy Hubbert

Sleaford and Lincolnshire’s first openly transgender town councillor has warned the impact of President Donald Trump’s decision to ban trans-sexuals from the US military could be ‘catastrophic’.

Sleaford Town Councillor Steph Dale gave her personal opinion on the US President’s ruling, warning that LGBT people should not be treated as a “burden” on society.

On the 50th anniversary of the legalisation of homosexualism in this country she questioned whether it was acceptable for a person in high profile public office to air opinions in such a way.

Coun Dale commented: “It’s vitally important that people who are living under the ‘transgender umbrella’ are treated just as equally as any other member of society. After all they’re human beings.

“In our country, and indeed many others, equality laws passed by our governments work well. Our protected characteristic affords us many rights much the same as everybody else. For example, to descriminate or be victimized because of who or how we are is illegal and subject to the Equalities Act 2010. I do believe at present, the current detail of the act is being requested for review and updating to bring in line finer points for clarification regards the gender recognition certificate for example.

She believed President Trump’s opinion was in the minority or the affect on the many currently serving transgender soldiers could be “catastrophic”, setting in motion further measures to undermine the wider transgender community.

She described President Trump as a “a powerful manipulating man” and with many transgender people struggling to get their costly treatment paid under medical insurance, often at the expense of employers, she feared it may be seen as a way of crowbarring out members of society seen as a burden.

She said: “It’s clear there is huge division regards the rights of protected characteristics in America. Their military services have some of the finest serving patriotic citizens. Lots of them are either gay, lesbian or trans. To make suggestions to assume trans people are a burden, in my opinion is not right. There is nothing that a transgender person can’t do that any other person can do. That’s been proved by myself and many many people before me, and will continue to do so too.”

Coun Dale concluded that education and understanding was the key factor to overcoming such prejudices: “This isn’t some fad, or mental health issue of our time. It’s been from the beginning of time! Quash it, dismiss it, brush it under the carpet as a burden, the fact still remains it’s never ever going to go away, history has taught us that at least.”

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